AKA My second favorite place in the world. Behind good ol' NYC.
Green. Lush. Expansive. The countryside parts of Bali were absolutely breathtaking. Staying the first couple of nights in Ubud was a great choice, and it was all thanks to past SDSU Singapore Exchangers who gave me great advice! Ubud was an art/cultural hub of Bali, with so much arts and crafts. It was much farther away from Kuta and other outskirt parts of the island, but finding a driver to take us all around the island wasn't difficult at all. And of course staying at the volcano lodge (I have a really difficult time calling it a hotel) was also near the volcano and way out there in the country, and surrounded by picture perfect scenery.
Old. Busy. Backwards. Dirtier. The city part of Bali (or should I say the touristy part of Bali) Kuta was different than Ubud. Some parts of Kuta were definitely a bit more sketchy. "You ladies look sexy toniiiiight!!!" (While me, Sam and Yun have a death grip holding hands with each other).
David and I arrived in Bali on Saturday night. For the first time I felt sick on the airplane. But nothing in comparison to my extremely nautious-dominated past. Anyways, our driver (Wayan 2) who was really cool, drove us to the Ubud Bungalows, our accommodations for the next 3 nights. If I had to describe Ubud Bungalows in a few words: Chamber doors. Animal noises. Travel brochure mania. Egg and toast combinations. Wayan 1 and 2.
The next day David and I walked around Ubud. Highlights included: pineapple ice cream plus homemade waffle cone, bargaining for a gift for my sister before I even knew what I wanted to buy, searching desperately for air conditioned places, meeting the mean monkeys by the forest, and seeing i <3 Bali merchandise. Little did I know how much I would come to truly understanding this statement.
We met up with Daniel, Yun and Sam, and our group was ALMOST complete. The 3 of them had just come from Jakarta, where they updated us on the crazy stories, such as opening water bottles on the side of the dresser...and surprising strip clubs they had no idea were a part of the plan.
The 3 of us girls changed to an air con bungalow room which really wasnt too bad. When I saw the cockroach on the ground while going to the bathroom, I didn't even get that freaked out. Luckily David flushed it down the toilet. The mattress was on the ground, so we all agreed to sleep in the big King bed. I'm a pro at sleeping in the middle now.
Anyways, we decided to do a half day tour that day, to make the most of every moment right? So we hired a personal driver through the hotel to drive us to GWK. Which I have no idea what it stands for. But they had huge statues there, so massive! We walked around the beautiful ruins there. And it was where we took the infamous David holding my foot optical illusion photo. Then we ate a bit (Yun and I had mango drinks, that he literally made with a mango and ice) then we headed over to ULUWATU TEMPLE! One of my favorite places in the world! Besides the really mean monkeys that appeared out of nowhere and pulled my hair making me scream. Then stole Sam's sunglasses, forcing the mean monkey trainers to get her glasses back then make her pay them a tip. But the huge cliffs were absolutely gorgeous, overlooking the Indian Ocean. We wandered a bit and my intense fear of those monkeys increased. Then we found a really nice secluded place to watch the sunset. But the others didn't like how close it was to the edge so we moved to another location overlooking the sea. It was the 5 of us up there, waiting for the sun to set..It was so worth the wait. Honestly, words cannot describe the feeling of being up there watching it set...in Bali.
Then we took off to Jimbaran to enjoy a seafood dinner. Well I pretty much ate the free peanuts they gave, plus Nasi Goreng which by the way was a definite staple in my Bali diet (but not as much as it was in Sam's). The seafood dinner was literally on the beach, with pretty tables and candles and a Mexican band that played at each table. All we wanted was for them to come to our table to play for us. And when they finally did, we turned them away because we were too cheap to pay them a tip. lol.
After dinner we dunked our feet in the Indian Ocean. I can now say that I have swam in 3 of the main oceans! I'll let you know how it goes when I touch the Arctic Ocean..
On the way home from dinner, we played the most hilarious game of Celebrity Name Game. Me David Sam and Yun. I lost to my own rule, where at the last minute when we pulled into the bungalow Yun yelled "King Tuck" as her K name celebrity and I lost. Some highlights of the game were: T-Pain, Flo Rida, C.S. Lewis, Barrack Obama, etc. Sam won, but that's not surprising. And I could have won, especially with all of my fictional celebrities (Harry Potter...Wilma Flintstone...)
When we returned we decided to go across the street to a little tiny upstairs bar that had a live band playing really cool laid back American songs. They were a great band! It was soo relaxing. This is where I discovered my new love for chess, and vowed to make it my goal to become an amazing chess player when I get back home from exchange. I lost to David and Roel, but I put up a good fight! I wish I had taken chess club like Pooch did..
The next day we had a little 3 hour road trip to the hot springs, where we listened to Sam's ipod for awhile (and her amazing mixes) and then eventually switched to Yun's ipod with her Chinese music from J Chau and her old old american songs. I really liked the Chinese music, and could feel myself becoming more asian by the minute, especially being surrounded by my Chinese Canadians. And Roel, who knows more mandarin than me. >:(
The hot springs were....interesting. Hot, green, murky water. It made me wonder what people did while in there. But I went in anyways, because why not? It was warm...not hot...not cold....an interesting sensation. On the way there I was bombarded by the people trying to sell me things. The lady practically begged for me to buy a I <3 Bali towel. But the best bargainer was a little 5 year old balinese girl, selling bracelets in a basket. She was a feisty little one too. Wanting 2 for 5000 rupiah. I tried to bargain her down to just 1 for 2000 but David told me to just give it to her for 5000. Although it was less than 1 sing dollar we were bargaining over, and she was only 5, I still felt like I had to bargain to the best of my ability and not let my sympathy get in the way. But she won. And I got my sis yet another bracelet, as well as myself.
After the hot springs, it started to rain and we weren't able to see the waterfalls but no worries. We went to this Chinese lake garden area. It was raining and we had to get rental umbrellas - which truly devastated Sam and David and Daniel who didn't want to return them. It was pouring, and we weren't able to really see or understand the beauty of the gardens, but we got some nice shots of it anyways. We paddled around the area there for a bit and shopped around. I bought my Bali picture album!!! With real leaves. That will probably turn yellow soon.
Afterwards we hopped back in the car and off we went to the RICE PADDIES!!! The fields were massive, and green (why do I keep using that as an adjective?) and pretty and turny and basically all the words that end in -y (haha). We took our infamous jumping pictures and some pictures with our sweet driver, then headed over to walk on the paddies. While walking, my cheap HK sandal broke, and I was forced to walk with only one sandal. Just my luck.
Then we got to a little paddy row and from there it was a series of disasters. Sam lost her shoe in the mud..then David tried to record me jumping into the mushyness of the field, hoping I would sink down into the mud, then Daniel jumped and he was fine until he tried again and his foot fell into the mud. I almost died laughing.
It wasn't before long my other sandal broke, and I was walkin' barefoot on the rice paddy. We took the bumpiest rockiest ride back (the streets are in horrible conditions) and stopped at a local store so I could buy some sandals. Yun found the cheapest pair 16,700 rupiah (which is about 2 sing dollars) for a pair of brown sandals. I need to take that girl with me shopping every time I go out..
We went out to dinner at a VERY local place. Everyone got fish but I got a tiny scoop of nasi goreng, which I was even hungrier after eating it than before I started. SO I demolished Roel's cream crackers, but everyone helped me so it was okay. Me plus crackers is never a good combination. We returned to the hotel where we went to bed to prepare for our next day:
WHITE WATER RAFTING!!!!!!!!!!!
One of the highlights of the trip for sure. Our Captain Salenko made it even more memorable, with his great sense of humor and badass-ness. We descended down the steep mountain in the middle of the jungle to aboard our craft. On the way Yun broke her sandal too but luckily the man fixed it. Anyways, we white water rafted down the strongly current-ed river. It was not only beautiful scenery, but the water was really nice and fun to swim in (except for the fact that it kept pushing me downstream because of how strong it was!) My favorite part was when we went spinning in a circle down one of the falls. That and splashing the Germans in the boat next to us any chance we could.
Afterwards we had to take a stair-intense hike back up to the top. We took showers in these outdoor stall things with spiders and Yun and I bought underwear that was way too small from the lady because we were so desperate to wear something dry. I felt like my hips and pelvis were being suffocated the underwear was soo small..
We were served a buffet lunch and watched ourselves white water rafting on the video they filmed of us. We then left to go to our Spa and Massage which consisted of me and Sam in one room, David and Roel in another, and Yun and Daniel in another. HAHAHA. Sam and I opted for the avocado scrub, because it is so good for the skin! And it was so great, with a face hole and everything! Then we had a flower bath after too. I felt so rejuvinated.
We then went back to the bungalows and spent about an hour trying to pay them back for the millions of rupiahs we owed them (no exaggeration). Thank god for Yun and her amazing financial skills. Then we went to the VOLCANO LODGE!!!!!
MT. BABUR VOLCANO HIKE
After a great nasi goreng meal at 10 pm followed by a chocolate crepe, all of us (we met up with Diana, Amanda, and Christina) played the most intense slash hilarious game of Never Have I Ever. We still don't know if you lose or win if you get out first, but we established that Yun is definitely the most innocent, and Diana is definitely...not. lol.
"Never have I ever..... watched Heroes." lol
But it was Diana's crazy face that made the night that much better...
We went to bed, well we took a 4 hour nap (me, Sam, and Yun in the big bed that probably had bugs) in our very cheap and mosquito infested room) and got up at 330 am to get ready and go to the volcano to hike up it.
Our personas were amazing: Athletic Yoga Girl, Gangsta, aand Ski Bunny.
We drove to the volcano and began our climb! We were definitely sweating. And it was so dark. But thank god we had our little lighters that had a great light on them lol. It was about and hour and a half to the top. I led some of the way but kept going the wrong way. When we made it to the top, it was still so dark, so we just waited around until the sun rose.
The view from the top was indescribable. I felt like I was in heaven..with the clouds floating beneath us. And the volcano in the distance. Words can't even describe how amazing it really was..
They served us hot banana sandwiches on the top, which were surprisingly delicious. I just might try making it at home...That's why I love the balinese. Such simplicity, yet so wonderful! Our guides (who were SO nice) even brought up eggs with him to bring up food to the little restaurant at the top. And the poor guy who carried the soda bottles all the way to the top...
We took a million pictures and videos, and then made our descent down, where we encountered the crater of the volcano, and a part where steam was coming out so hot it cleansed your pores. We got to echo in the volcano, and everyone was echoing "HELLO! (hello...hello...hello...)" so I decided to echo "GOODBYE! (goodbye...goodbye...goodbye..)" It was so cool. We had to climb up...down....all around..it was such good exercise! And this one view was absolutely gorgeous, it almost brought me to tears.
Our walk back, Sam and I talked a lot and I also talked to one of the balinese guides telling me all about the government and jobs and education systems there. It was so heartbreaking. Yet they are so content and happy and satisfied. It is eye-opening.
Even though I was tight on money I tipped him 20,000 rupiah because he was such a nice man. We came back and ate our complementary 2-item choice breakfast. I had a banana crepe. It was either that or a Jaffle. We ate with the flies and dogs, which is really becoming like second nature now. And we left to go to the BEST WESTERN at Kuta. But only after Yun trying to argue with the Boss about the price of our transport, although it was already agreed upon the night before. Yet again we were blessed with the sweetest driver, who stopped at my request at a fruit stand on the side of the road where I could get my out of control pineapple fix. The woman sold me a pineapple for 5000 rupiah. It was sour on one side, sweet on the other!! Such an unforgettable taste in my mouth!
We got to Best Western at Kuta Beach which was pretty touristy and I walked in our hotel room and nearly cried. What was tat black square thing on the wall? What was this huge fluffy square with white sheets on it in the middle of the room? Where are the bugs and mosquitos? It was dreamlike. You may think I'm exaggerating, but I assure you I am not...
Sam and I were in one room, David and Roel across the way in another, and of course Daniel and Yun in the superior room downstairs. Let me also note that Sam and I got turn down service every day there, WITH 2 chocolates (no, Daniel, we WEREN'T lying). I took the BEST shower of my life and just relaxed on the bed and watched TV for the first time in 3 months. Watching Keeping Up With the Kardashians and American Idol...I truly felt like connected to the American lifestyle again..
Sam and I discovered the cheapest and best place for Nasi Goreng near the hotel. We went there everyday for the rest of the trip. 8000 rupiah for nasi goreng!! That is like 1 US dollar for anyone who cares. You can't beat that. Sam and I only left the room to get food, and then sugar crackers and chocolate later to satisfy our craving. Too bad we ended up eating our body weight in nasty sugar crackers (is it a premium cracker? or a cookie? we have no idea.) while watching American Idol and then felt sick the rest of the night. We decided we would eat nothing but carrots the next day. But that failed once we saw the huge free breakfast the hotel served. Delicious.
We walked around Kuta later with the boys. We went to the Discovery Shopping Mall there and walked around outside for a but and they ate KFC for dinner. Those little ice creams from the mini mart are amazing by the way. The 3 of us girls bought different friendship anklets in every color. We ended up at a bar that Wednesday night for Roel's birthday countdown. The T-Pain bar of course. Where we ate even more of the famous Bali peanuts. Why are they so addictive? I sang Happy Bday to Roel in dutch. He turned 23. So old!!!
The next day we got a shuttle van with out hotel driver and he took us to Tanah Lot. I bought my I <3 Bali t-shirt and instantly became a typical tourist, dear lord. We did some shopping there, but it was SO hot! We finally went into the temple and it was very pretty, out in the middle of the water. David and I explored and found a huge golfing resort with white tourist golfers and Indonesian cabbys. It was beautiful. The highlight was telling david about the disgusting sugar crackers that Sam and I ate too many of (about 30 each, plus chocolate) when he almost ran into a bat. A real bat. Just chilling outside Tanah Lot. It was really creepy looking. But a definite bonus. Who ever gets to see a bat?
After Tanah Lot, we went to Dreamland Beach, which had the most monstrous gargantuan waves I have ever seen in my life. The waves even went backwards. It overtook me and slammed me to the bottom of the rock bottom ocean floor banging up the right side of my body, leaving my hip with a big scratch. And some random local boy on the beach asked me to take a picture with him. Surprisingly, I agreed without any hesitation. Weird.
After Dreamland we took off to go get the girls at Nusa Dua. The beach at Nusa Dua was completely opposite of Dreamland. Quiet (except for the screaming naked kids in the water near us, probably peeing) and barely any water in the ocean marshland part. The girls and I just chilled in the decreasing water for awhile talking and talking and talking.... afterwards I was so beached out I just wanted to leave. So we went and got Diana, Amanda, and Christina from their 5 star hotel and took them back with us to our faithful Best Western. We got some food from the cheap place for dinner then got ready. While all of them got alcohol and pre-partied I finished getting ready. We finally all left in a free shuttle bus from the hotel (have I mentioned that I love the Best Western?) where everyone was just a BIT tipsy....We were going to go to Bounty but ended up going to Paddy's Club instead which had awesome music until they started replaying the same songs over and over. This was where Sam filmed the now famous I Gotta Feelin' video. "It's a video!" Yun: "Yaaaaaaaaaay!!! A videoooo!!!" lol
We danced all night long, as always, and later went to Bounty and Sam, Diana, and I sang karaoke. Sam's famous last words before going up on stage in front of everyone was "I think I need a shot." But we sang it! And it was a success I would say! "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing"....perfect choice.
We came back at about 2 am and Sam and I stayed up til 330 am talking. We passed out and began our long coma into Friday. We got up at 10 to eat the free hotel breakfast then went back to bed until 3pm. I have NEVER slept like that before. I felt like a truck had hit me. The boys had gone out all day renting motorbikes and riding around Bali. So we had a girls day and got pedicures (we bargained for them, and the flowers I would get to) and then we went to get some dinner at the mall food court which was delicious!!! After we seeked out temporary tattoos, and ended up getting them from this family who initially wanted to rip us off but ended up being so cool. We got the balinese symbol for "good luck" in a diamond, each of us the same symbol in a different part of our body. For me, the ankle. Sam, her neck. back. And Yun, her arm. It looked very cool. Although it was very sharp. Us girls were holding hands scared to death on the dark sketchy walk back home, where guys were saying "Oooh looking sexy tonight!" Luckily we ran into Roel and Daniel on their motorbikes and found out about David's running into the glass accident. We checked on him and his stitches in his hand. I knew I had a bad feeling about those bikes. And I came to find out later that Sarak from Canada was on a motor bike in Canada and ended up in a wheelchair! And now she can't run the race on Sunday..
Afterwards, we got ice cream and sat outside the mall on the steps. We were so sad to be leaving Bali the next day. It truly was an amazing vacation that I will never forget. I really want my mom to see it! She would have LOVED it. I really missed my family on this trip..Nevertheless, I can only say three words:
I LOVE BALI.
*Bali Playlist:
-J Chau songs
-Fight For This Love
-I Gotta Feelin'
-Angels Cry
Until next time Bali....
<3
